5e Monastic Tradition: Way of the Black Cat
The Way of the Black Cat is a Monastic Tradition for the Monk class. Perhaps you were inspired by Bruce Lee's catlike onomatopoeia or by the grace and danger of a black panther. Either way, you ended up a stray cat walking your own path. Some people love your cat-like grace while others fear your presence bringing them bad luck. The Way of the Black Cat is difficult to use and not for the faint of heart. Monasteries that teach the Way of the Black Cat are often small and in very remote and isolated locations. They teach the very basics every Black Cat should know, but intermediate and advanced progress requires a journeyman's path of experience. Disciple of the Black Cat Starting at 3rd level, you have become adept at the basics the Black Cat. You know a variety of postures and stances, many of which require ki to activate. Stances last until the end of combat. Postures can last up to 10 minutes. You may only have 1 upper body Posture and 1 lower body Stance active at the same time. You can change both with a single Bonus Action, unless otherwise stated. If one or both require an Action to activate, then a single Action can activate both. You must pay the ki activation cost for both the Posture and Stance every time you enter a new combination. The following are all basics you know: Upper Body Postures * Alert Posture - Activate for 1 ki. You make all Wisdom (Perception) and Wisdom (Insight) checks with advantage. Stealth checks are made against your Passive Perception with Disadvantage. * Clawed Posture - Activate for 1 ki. Your unarmed attacks now deal slashing damage instead of bludgeoning. If you are also using Graceful Stance, your unarmed attacks deal an extra 2 damage. Lower Body Stances * Graceful Stance - Activate for 2 ki. You are constantly swaying and moving. If you move at least 10 feet. all attack rolls against you have disadvantage until the start of your next turn. If you are also using Alert Posture, you can use your Bonus Action to take the Dodge action. * Stalker Stance - If you attack from hiding, you deal an extra 1d4 damage. If you also have Clawed Posture active, you instead deal an extra 1d6 damage. Journeyman of the Black Cat Starting at 6th level, you learn 1 more Posture and 1 more Stance of your choice from the following: Upper Body Postures * Bo Staff Posture - Activate for 1 ki. You can spend a Bonus Action to extend your reach with the Bo Staff (quarterstaff) by 5 feet until the end of your turn. * Climbing Posture - Activate for 2 ki. You have a climb speed of 40 feet. if Nimble Stance is also active, your jump distance is doubled. * Drunken Paw Posture - You cannot use Flurry of Blows. You may spend your Action consuming alcohol to gain temp HP equal to your Constitution modifier + your Monk level. This temp HP expires when this Posture ends. If you are also using Drunken Paw Stance, you gain resistance to all bludgeoning damage. * Kitty Posture - Activate for 1 ki. +1 to Animal Handling, Deception, Performance, and Persuasion. * Leopard Paw Posture - Activate for 4 ki. Your unarmed attacks ignore resistance. If Leopard Paw Stance is also active, you may use a Reaction to make one unarmed attack on a creature that enters your reach. * Rope Dart Posture - Activate for 1 ki as an Action. Rope Dart (Whip) is considered a piercing monk weapon for you. You can grapple and pull a creature smaller size than you when you hit with a Rope Dart (Whip). You may use Dexterity (Acrobatics) for the grapple check. If you are also using Mountain Stance, you can grapple and pull a creature of your size instead of just smaller. You gain proficiency in Rope Darts (Whip) when you learn this posture, but it is only a monk weapon when this posture is active. * Tiger Claw Posture - Activate for 3 ki. If you hit with 2 attacks, you can spend your Bonus Action to make a slashing unarmed attack that automatically becomes a critical if it hits. If you also have Tiger Claw Stance active, your critical hits deal an extra weapon die of damage. Lower Body Stances * Bo Staff Stance - Activate for 2 ki. If you take the Dodge action, add +3 to your AC and your Dexterity Saves until the start of your next turn. If Bo Staff Posture is also active, you can Flurry of Blows with your Bo Staff (quarterstaff) instead of with unarmed attacks. * Drunken Paw Stance - Activate for 1 ki, and you must have imbibed alcohol in the last hour. Your speed is halved. Do to your unpredictable movements, Opportunity Attacks have disadvantage against you. You also can make a extra Dexterity save to not fall Prone in addition to any other save or contest you might have failed versus Prone. If you are also using Drunken Paw Posture, you may use your reaction to negate any attack roll that hits. * Kitty Stance - If Kitty Posture is also active, Polymorph into a cat for 10 minutes. * Leopard Paw Stance - Activate for 3 ki. If you do not move, you can use Flurry of Blows at no ki cost. If Leopard Paw Posture is also active, you can use Flurry of Blow at no ki cost even if you move. * Mountain Stance - Activate for 1 ki as an Action. Reduce the distance you forced to move by 10 feet, such as with a Push or Pull. You also have advantage on rolls against becoming Prone. * Nimble Stance - Activate for 2 ki. Gain advantage on all Jump and Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks. If you are also using Rope Dart Posture, you can make an attack with the Rope Dart (Whip) as a Bonus Action. * Tiger Claw Stance - Activate for 2 ki. You can use your Bonus Action to take the Dash action. If Tiger Claw Posture is also active, your unarmed attacks can push the target 5 feet once per turn if they hit. Master of the Black Cat Starting at 11th level, you learn 1 more Posture and 1 more Stance of your choice from the Journeyman list. Also your reflexes are so natural that you no longer need to expend a reaction to slow fall while you are conscious. Grandmaster of the Black Cat Starting at 17th level, learn 2 more Postures and 2 more Stances. Additionally, you can now use 2 Postures and 2 Stances at the same time. You can switch all active Postures and Stances as a Bonus Action, unless otherwise stated. Monastic Tradition: Way of the Black Cat Monastic Tradition: Way of the Black Cat Way of the Black Cat